RACE: Runoffs qualification process changes announced

Changes Announced to 2011 Runoffs Qualification Process

TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 29, 2010) -- Sports Car Club of America's Board of Directors has changed the process in which invitations for the Club Racing National Championship Runoffs are determined, bringing both Divisional and National point standings back into the mix.

After soliciting, receiving and evaluating input from the membership, the Board has instituted changes in an effort to focus the Championship event on the "Best of the Best" while encouraging participation in local events throughout the season.

The participation criteria established in 2010 will go unchanged, with drivers needing to start at least four, with a minimum of two within their Division of Record, and finish at least four National races in their class.

While the 2010 criteria ended with the participation requirements, drivers will need to achieve a certain level of success during the "regular" SafeRacer SCCA National Racing Series to earn an invitation to the 2011 Runoffs. Specifically, drivers will need to achieve at least one of three criteria based on Divisional and National points. They are:

- Finish in the top three of their class in their Divisional Championship.

- Finish in the top half of the coast-to-coast, National Point Standings within their class.

- Reach or exceed a minimum number of points for a given class in the National Point Standings (listed below).

"In simple terms, to qualify for the Runoffs, a driver needs to finish in the top three of his or her Division or in the top half of the National Points in addition to finishing four National races during the season," SCCA President and CEO Jeff Dahnert said.

Divisional Championships

Divisional Championships in Club Racing remain unchanged from 2010 to 2011. SCCA is divided into nine geographical Divisions -- Northeast, Southeast, Great Lakes, Central, Midwest, Southwest, Rocky Mountain, Northern Pacific and Southern Pacific. Each Division holds an average of six to 10 "National" level races. Points are assigned to finishers of each race per class on a 12-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for first through ninth place. A driver's seven-best results count toward a Divisional Championship. A driver may count up to three "National" races from another Division toward his or her point total.

National Point Standings

The National Point Standings, previously called "nation-wide points," remains unchanged in structure from 2010, where it existed as a part of the SCCA Club Racing Super Sweep program. The National Point Standings assigns base points on the same schedule as the Divisional Championships, but adds one point (with a maximum of 10) for each car a driver finishes ahead of in the final results. The best seven outings count in the standings, but there are no Divisional boundaries. The National Point Standings will be formalized in the 2011 SCCA Club Racing General Competition Rules.

In addition to the invitation changes, the Board of Directors has encouraged the SCCA staff and event organizers across the country to establish additional rewards for drivers finishing atop their Divisional Championships.

"The Board recognizes the importance of the Divisional Championships in the Club Racing program, and wants to place a renewed emphasis on these as well as the entire National program," SCCA Chairman Jerry Wannarka said. "From the individual SafeRacer National Racing Series events, to the Divisional Championships, the National Point Standings, the National Championship Runoffs and the all-encompassing Super Sweep, SCCA needs to recognize outstanding accomplishments and reward drivers accordingly."

Drivers achieving this number of points, or higher, in that same class of the National Point Standings for 2011 will earn an invitation to the 2011 Runoffs, as long as they have also achieved the participation minimums. This is not the only way to receive an invitation, but is designed to give drivers a point goal to reach, particularly in areas of the country that conduct their races early in the season. This point total was established based on the number of points needed in each class to finish in the top half of the 2010 National Point Standings.

American Sedan -- 33 points
C Sports Racing -- 32 points
D Sports Racing -- 32 points
E Production -- 26 points
Formula 500 -- 38 points
Formula Atlantic -- 20 points
Formula 1000 -- 37 points
Formula Continental -- 25 points
Formula Enterprises -- 34 points
Formula F -- 33 points
Formula Mazda -- 35 points
F Production -- 28 points
Formula Vee -- 33 points
GT-1 -- 26 points
GT-2 -- 28 points
GT-3 -- 31 points
GT-L -- 31 points
H Production -- 32 points
Sports 2000 -- 30 points
Spec Miata -- 22 points
Spec Racer Ford -- 27 points
Showroom Stock B -- 34 points
Showroom Stock C -- 49 points
Super Touring O -- 19 points
Super Touring U -- 21 points
Touring 1 -- 38 points
Touring 2 -- 37 points
Touring 3 -- 40 points

-source: scca